We are ONE - THE
POWER OF AGREEMENT
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PART 4 -
The River of Unity
Ezekiel 47:9
Swarms of living creatures will
live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because
this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows
everything will live.
Water
is essential for life. Jesus highlighted
this natural reality with spiritual truth when he promised that streams of
living water would flow through all those who would believe in Him (John
7:38). In other words, a vibrant
Christian life requires the constant renewing flow of the Holy Spirit. Whenever the river of the Spirit is flowing
in a Believer there will be an abundance of life.
The
great prophet Ezekiel saw a vision of the 'River of God' and wherever the river
touched, life began to spring forth (Ezekiel 47:9). The same thing holds true for the presence of
unity in the life of a congregation. Wherever the river of unity flows everything
lives and all things become possible. Oneness
gives birth to a strong sense of hope. A
lack of unity will always result in diminished progress and a compromised
Kingdom mandate.
This Kingdom mandate is to love the world toward relationship with Jesus Christ. We fulfill this purpose through a tenacious commitment to oneness. This is exactly what Jesus prayed in John 17:23 a few days before He was taken to the cross. "May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." When the river of unity flows through the Church to the world more people fall in love with Jesus.
This river of unity is flowing through many ministry efforts at Celebration. UNITY is at the root of the accelerated growth of our Christian Academy. School enrollment is up by over 80% from last year. UNITY is at the root of our sacrificial stewardship. We had a giving jump this summer instead of our normal giving slump. UNITY is at the root of the explosive growth of our youth ministry (The WIN). UNITY explains the commitment of leaders to our monthly ministry and leadership training. These are just a few examples of hundreds among us where unity is the difference maker. While there will always be pockets of indifference and pessimism, I want to encourage everyone to find the place of unity at home, at work, at school, at Church. Guard it. We are ONE!
WIN!
Robbie